Richard C. Smith

Preliminary evaluation of experimental techniques for studying the absorption of rubidium by grape roots

Abstract The experimental material consisted of root segments excised from grape cuttings maintained in nutrient culture. In every experiment reported here washed roots absorbed Rb at substantially higher rates than unwashed root segments. The absorption of Rb per unit weight of root was generally in the same low range for unwashed roots with little regard to diameter, age, browning, or the presence of an intact root apex. On the other hand, after washing, uptake was much higher in large diameter roots than smaller ones, higher in white roots than in brown ones, and higher in younger tissues than older ones, The response to washing is markedly reduced by the presence of an intact attached root apex.